Board Certified Texas Criminal Appeals Lawyer
Sarah Durham
PARTNER – Board Certified, Criminal Appellate Law – Texas Board of Legal Specialization
Sarah Durham is a Board Certified criminal appellate attorney who represents clients across Texas in criminal appeals, 11.07 writs of habeas corpus and petitions for discretionary review. As a partner at Blizzard & Zimmerman, she leads the firm’s post-conviction division and handles Texas state and federal cases from Houston and Dallas-Fort Worth to Austin, San Antonio and El Paso.
Appellate and writ work is built on the written record, not on where the trial happened. Sarah, a former high school English teacher, studies that record line by line to find the legal errors, constitutional violations and procedural problems that can change an outcome.
Key facts
Board Certified in Criminal Appellate Law
Sarah is Board Certified in Criminal Appellate Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization, a credential held by a small percentage of Texas attorneys. Certification requires substantial appellate experience, peer and judicial references, and passing a rigorous written exam.
For clients, it means an attorney whose daily work is the appellate process itself. Sarah knows the briefing rules, standards of review and filing deadlines of Texas appellate courts, and she knows how to present a legal error so a court is positioned to act on it.
What Went Wrong?
Texas Appeals, Writs and Post-Conviction Relief
Sarah handles criminal appeals and post-conviction cases in every region of Texas. She writes briefs for the Texas Courts of Appeals that hear criminal cases and for the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, the state’s highest criminal court. She also appears in court for oral arguments, evidentiary hearings and motions for new trial.
Her post-conviction work includes 11.07 writs of habeas corpus, claims based on new evidence, ineffective assistance of counsel and involuntary pleas, and other extraordinary writs. When a trial lawyer missed a deadline to appeal, she pursues out-of-time appeals so a client can still be heard.
Practice areas
- Direct criminal appeals (Texas and federal)
- 11.07 writs of habeas corpus
- Petitions for discretionary review
- Federal criminal cases
- Texas criminal cases
- Expunctions and orders of non-disclosure
- Sealing criminal records
- Early termination of probation
- Release from sex offender registration requirements
Federal court admissions
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
- U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas
Recognition and Results
Partner, Blizzard & Zimmerman. Sarah was named a partner in February 2024 for her work seeking relief for people convicted of Texas state and federal crimes.
Super Lawyers Texas Rising Stars, 2026. Sarah was selected to the Texas Rising Stars list in criminal defense by Super Lawyers, a Thomson Reuters service. No more than 2.5 percent of attorneys in each state are selected, based on peer nomination, independent research and peer evaluation. View her Super Lawyers profile.
Representative results. Sarah’s cases have included 11.07 writs granted on grounds of actual innocence and ineffective assistance of counsel, an out-of-time appeal that led to a new trial, and petitions for discretionary review granted by the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals.
Every case is different. Outcomes depend on the facts and law involved, and prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
Clear Answers, Even When the News Is Hard
Post-conviction cases are emotional for clients and their families, and the news is not always good. Sarah’s goal in every conversation is to leave the client a little more informed and a little less alone than before.
That can mean walking through an issue more than once, listening longer than the call requires, or sending a letter simply to say she is still working on the case. Families can expect honest assessments in plain English, not legal jargon.
Representing Clients Across Texas
Sarah represents clients in all of Texas’s major metros, not only West Texas. A criminal appeal goes to the Court of Appeals assigned to the county where the case was tried, and from there to the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals in Austin.
| Metro area | Court of Appeals for criminal appeals |
|---|---|
| Houston | First and Fourteenth Courts of Appeals |
| Dallas | Fifth Court of Appeals |
| Fort Worth | Second Court of Appeals |
| Austin | Third Court of Appeals |
| San Antonio | Fourth Court of Appeals |
| El Paso | Eighth Court of Appeals |
| Corpus Christi and the Rio Grande Valley | Thirteenth Court of Appeals |
| Lubbock and Amarillo | Seventh Court of Appeals |
| Lubbock and Amarillo | Seventh Court of Appeals |
| Abilene and the Big Country | Eleventh Court of Appeals |
Federal cases from anywhere in Texas are appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, where Sarah is admitted to practice.
From the Classroom to the Courtroom
Sarah grew up in Decatur, Texas, a small town known for its downtown square, Friday night football and one of the prettiest courthouses in the state. She taught high school English in Decatur and Hallsville for close to a decade before choosing law as a second career. With both of her parents retired from jobs in the legal field, the move felt natural.
The classroom gave her skills she uses every day: explaining complicated ideas clearly, debating and negotiating with sharp students, and writing with precision. Outside the office, Sarah gardens, “pretends to be a runner” and spends time with her husband, Josh, and their children, Taylor, Ella and Ronan.
Education, Experience and Involvement
Education
- Doctor of Jurisprudence, University of North Texas at Dallas College of Law – Dean’s List; Teaching Fellow; coursework focused on appellate law, mediation, civil settlements, and labor and employment law
- Master of Education, University of Texas at Tyler
- Bachelor of Arts, Literature, University of North Texas
Judicial and legal experience
- Judicial Intern, U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas, Magistrate Judge Irma Ramirez, Dallas
- Judicial Intern, Second District Court of Appeals, Chief Justice Terrie Livingston (ret.), Fort Worth
- Law Clerk, Fifth District Court of Appeals, Dallas
- Legal Intern, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of the Solicitor, Dallas
- High School English Teacher, Decatur High School and Hallsville High School
Memberships and community
- Board Member and Treasurer, Big Country Reentry Coalition
- State Bar of Texas Pro Bono College, Member (2021)
- Christian Legal Society, UNT Dallas College of Law – founding officer, inaugural class
- The Honorable Barbara M.G. Lynn Inn of Court, Pupil
- Law school volunteer: Legal Hospice, Dallas Volunteer Attorney Program, Dallas ISD
Recent continuing legal education
- Advanced Criminal Law, State Bar of Texas (2025)
- Current Innocence for Lawyers, Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association (2024)
- Robert O. Dawson Conference on Criminal Appeals, University of Texas School of Law (2020 -2024)
- Non-Capital Habeas Conference, Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, Defender Services (2023)
- Annual Federal Criminal Practice Seminar (2022)
Faq’s
Frequently Asked Questions
It means the Texas Board of Legal Specialization has certified her in criminal appeals after reviewing her experience, references and exam results. Only a small percentage of Texas attorneys hold this certification.
She handles direct criminal appeals, 11.07 writs of habeas corpus, petitions for discretionary review and federal post-conviction matters. She also handles expunctions, non-disclosures, early termination of probation and release from sex offender registration.
Possibly. When a notice of appeal was never filed, a writ of habeas corpus may be used to request an out-of-time appeal. Sarah can review the record to see whether that option is available.
She files in Texas intermediate Courts of Appeals, the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.
Yes. Sarah represents clients throughout Texas, including Houston, Dallas, Fort Worth, Austin, San Antonio and El Paso. Appeals and writs are decided on the written record, so a client’s case can be handled wherever the conviction happened.
Not necessarily. Appellate and writ work itself centers on reviewing the entire case record and filing written arguments with the courts. What matters most is appellate experience, which is what board certification in criminal appellate law measures.
In most cases, a notice of appeal must be filed within 30 days after sentencing, or within 90 days if a motion for new trial has been filed. A petition for discretionary review is generally due 30 days after the Court of Appeals rules. Deadlines vary, so contact an attorney as soon as possible.
She works from Blizzard & Zimmerman’s offices at 1174 North 3rd Street in Abilene, Texas, and represents post-conviction clients across the state of Texas.
Talk to a Us
Talk With Sarah About Your Case
Appeals and writs come with strict deadlines, and waiting can close doors. If you or a family member has been convicted in a Texas state or federal court, whether in Houston, Dallas-Fort Worth, Austin, San Antonio, El Paso or a rural county, contact Blizzard & Zimmerman to request a review of the case.
Request a Free Case Review · Call (325) 252-6064 · contact@BlizzardLawFirm.com
Board Certified, Criminal Appellate Law – Texas Board of Legal Specialization. Principal office: Abilene, Texas.